Full Circle
by Catching Rain
Summary: From Following the Footsteps of Destiny by Broken Angel01. Just when you think things couldn't get any worse, they always end up worse. The decisions that you make always end up coming full circle in the end.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or the original characters used in this story. How funny is that? I'm writing a fanfiction of a fanfiction. But I'm not the first, so bleh.

A/N: **Please make sure to read the author's note in the next chapter after reading.** That will clear up any confusion you may have. Also, please keep in mind that this is written under the pretense that Matty has already received his Spirit Chip, but has been unable to make any use of it yet. It hasn't actually happened in FTFOD yet, so I'll leave the 'how' up to your imagination. I'll warn you now that the story is rather dark, but it's categorized under 'suspense' for a reason (hint hint). Also, **pretty please review. Pretty please with a cherry on top? **It makes me happy.

* * *

**Full Circle**

The fallen angel looked around at the scene before him, an amused smile playing upon his lips. He was standing atop a large plateau on the continent of Server, engaged in a battle with his comrades, fighting their enemies tooth and nail for the prize that each party sought. On their side, they bore nine combatants and their partners; on his side, five were fighting, albeit their strength served to be a formidable force to be reckoned with. Currently, it seemed that his side had gained the upper hand. His comrades defeated three of their fighters, sending them flying back into the open arms of the children whom they protected. The young girl gazed worriedly on the bird in her arms, tears of worry staining her face. The quiet dark-haired boy sent a glare his way, and the tall blonde boy looked as if he could not believe his eyes. The odds had nearly been evened, and he continued to push forward.

The next part of the plan had to be executed with acute precision; otherwise, the entire thing would go awry. He looked to meet the gaze of the smallest comrade, and gave her a slight nod. She blinked in reply, noting that she had gotten the cue. She flew up in the air to take up arms against one of the angels flying about (more precisely, the specific angel who was the catalyst of the plan). Her opponent had no qualms about taking on an enemy smaller than him, for the previous one he fought was slightly bigger and twice as strong. All she had to do was keep him occupied long enough for the fallen angel to bring out the bait. Sure enough, as soon as her opponent took his focus away from him, he spread his dark wings and took to the sky. With a well-placed punch, the fallen angel knocked his counterpart right out of the air, sending the light angel spiraling to the ground with a sickening thud.

"Angelicmon!"

It all happened exactly as he had hoped. Before the others could object, the partner of the angel sprinted out into the middle of the battleground to his injured friend's side. The angel had been knocked unconscious upon contact with the ground, and so the boy's attempts to get him to speak were futile. The fallen angel nodded once again to the small comrade, and she flew even further up into the air, while his other comrades kept his enemies from rushing in to aid the boy. Once her altitude was suitable, she fixed herself and pointed her hands down at the spot where the boy knelt. Energy gathered around her palms, and she fired with the glad shout,

"Fairy Cannon!"

The boy looked to the sky in time to see the blast headed straight for him. The others, especially the boy's mother, made an attempt to hurry in and save him, but his comrades had sense enough to cut them off. Their maneuver gave the boy two choices - run toward the opposite edge, where his comrades waited for their chance to have at him, or stay right where he was and take the attack head on. He knew that even the Digital Barrier that surrounded him would not protect him from an attack of this magnitude. The boy did not look as if he felt comfortable at all leaving his partner there, but he certainly was not big nor strong enough to drag him away in time. With a cry of regret, the boy hit the ground running, seeking refuge from the attack. The blast impacted the ground with a grand report, and when the smoke cleared away, a huge crater replaced the flat rock where he had just stood, and a miniature angel lay wounded and unconscious at the bottom. The fallen angel's smirk grew even wider when he saw the boy's tears.

"Celestimon, no!"

It was then that the boy realized he had walked right into a trap. His mother, father and friends were cornered on the far side of the crater, and he was stranded, alone and defenseless. His horrified countenance reached the fallen angel and he fell to his knees. The sound of the battle drifted out of his ears; even though it still raged on as the others attempted to make their way to his aid, it was as if just the two of them existed at the moment. The fallen angel took great pleasure in the terror on the boy's face as he slowly began to advance upon his weakened prey.

"Y-you won't k-kill me," the boy stammered. His actions betrayed his words as he desperately shuffled backward to put space between himself and his hunter. When his hand suddenly slipped off the edge, the boy quickly caught himself and glanced over his shoulder. His stomach did a back flip as he saw how long a drop it was from his position on the top of the plateau to the canyon floor below. He gulped and turned his eyes back to the fallen angel. "If you really wanted to k-kill m-me, you had p-plenty of opportunities in the p-past and you would have d-done it then."

"If this battle had come a few days ago, you may have been right," the fallen angel said softly. "As it were, the tables have turned. Not only have you and your friends stood in our way on more than one occasion, you have come to possess something my master wants. I have been ordered to get my hands on it, no matter what the cost." He had come within whispering distance of the boy, and he knelt down beside the trembling figure. He put his own face mere inches from the lad's, and he whispered with a malignant sneer, "You will die today, Masato Takaishi, and I will have your D-Coder and your Spirit Chip."

Tears flowed freely down the boys face now as he saw the certain doom that lay in his very near future. The fallen angel straightened himself, and he drew even closer to minimize space between them. "Any last words?"

The child looked up, and suddenly the fallen angel felt a small pang of regret as he saw the broken determination shining through his eyes. "Mickey... I'm sorry, but you were wrong... there is no light in the world to save him now. I'm sorry that no amount of faith will ever change him." He bit his lower lip, and the fleeting thought of Celestimon dying when he did crossed his mind. As if he read the fallen angel's mind, the boy muttered, "I wonder if Digimon go to heaven?"

The fallen angel could bear no more of the boy's words, and so with a final, remorseful chuckle, he said, "Goodbye, Matty Takaishi." He heard the angry cries and desperate pleas of the humans, and then he saw a bright pink and yellow light out of the corner of his eye. It seemed to be drawing closer and closer, closing in on him as he lifted his foot and placed it on the boy's chest. When he pushed the boy, he briefly saw the haunting look of a devastated child before he disappeared over the edge.

* * *

II

DarkAngelicmon knelt down before the cloaked figure of his master in the darkened crest chamber. It was clear that the Ruler of Darkness was not happy about his most recent failure to keep the Digidestined from getting their hands on the Spirit Chip of Faith.

"That is the third chip that they've managed to grab from our grasp," the Ruler's deep, gravelly voice murmured. "From Vampiramon, that is only to be predicted, but I expected more of you, DarkAngelicmon."

DarkAngelicmon's head, if it was even possible, hung further. "My deepest apologies, my lord. Every time I think that I have those children figured out, they turn around and pull another trick from their cuff-links."

"I do not wish for excuses, DarkAngelicmon!" the Ruler suddenly snapped. "I want results!" The angel flinched in obvious shock from the sudden outburst, but he kept his surprise in check.

"Yes, master," he mumbled, sounding like a child who had been scolded. He suddenly felt a hand being placed under his chin, and with a gentle push, he lifted his gaze to the eyes of his master. The sight sent shivers down his spine, and it was all he could do from clenching his eyes shut or jerking his head away.

"I hate you, DarkAngelicmon," the Ruler said in a voice that was not his own. "I hate you so much! Mickey hates you for everything you've done to him and his brother. He's going to hate you forever, and it's all your own fault." He paused to let the words sink in, and then went on in his own voice. "Is it not the truth that Sam Ichijouji spoke these words to you?"

"It is the truth," DarkAngelicmon replied.

"Then why do you continue to fear for their well being? They obviously do not fear for yours."

DarkAngelicmon hung his head again. "I do not know, my lord."

"Do not let your feelings cloud your judgment. Hesitation is weakness, and you are not weak. Tomorrow, you will lead the rest of my servants to the mountains on Server, where the Digidestined plan to recover the Spirit Chip of Innocence. They will obey you under my command. Whatever the cost, you must collect the Spirit Chip before the humans are able to get their hands on it. Am I understood?"

DarkAngelicmon nodded. "Yes, master."

"Good. Then I wish you luck. Know that failure is not an option, DarkAngelicmon, though expect you will not."

Without another word, the Ruler of Darkness turned away from DarkAngelicmon, who took that as his cue to leave and prepare for the journey.

* * *

III

"Matty!"

"You bastard!"

"NOOO!!"

The anguished screams of the humans on the other side of the crater brought DarkAngelicmon back to reality, and he was suddenly bombarded with a barrage of attacks. He deftly dodged most of them, for they were launched blindly in rage. However, they were enough to distract him long enough for Gabrielmon to speed by unhindered and dive over the side of the plateau after Matty. He cursed his own inattentiveness and made to go after the twin angel, but Fate was having none of that. A set of arms grabbed him from behind and before he could react, JewelBeemon socked him hard in the face.

"You're going to pay for what you've done!"

DarkAngelicmon reeled from the blow, but he quickly regained his composure with a scowl. He glanced over at the humans and felt sympathetic for them. Kari had buried her face into her husband's chest, and her body shook with sobs. Mickey was staring at him, his teary eyes wide and disbelieving, as if to say, "Why?" That was a question that DarkAngelicmon could not answer. He could have easily just snatched the D-Coder and Spirit Chip and let the boy live, so what possessed him to push Matty over the edge?

_Perhaps it was to prove to the Master that I am not weak, _DarkAngelicmon pondered as he continued the fist-fight with JewelBeemon. _Perhaps it was merely because he has stood in my way one too many times._ Either way, the humans were not the only ones upset at his decision.

"You fool!" Vampiramon hissed, fighting off Angewomon. "Did you not realize that he has the D-Coder on him? What if it breaks when he hits the ground?"

"Somehow, the fool does not think that you have much to worry about," Jestermon chuckled dryly. "Those bothersome gadgets are much like their owners; they just don't know when to give up!" He launched a volley of Shadow Spheres at MagnaAngemon, who deflected them with Excalibur and then charged in for a parry.

What happened next occurred so fast that DarkAngelicmon could scarcely believe that it was real. A sickening thud reverberated off of the canyon walls, followed quickly by the strangled wail of Gabrielmon. The Digimon all stopped, even the Dark Digimon, and stared in the direction of the noise's origin. Obviously, they all had expected Gabrielmon to be able to catch the child before he met his demise. After a moment of tense, stunned silence, all hell broke loose. With a cacophony of shrieks and bellows, the humans cried out their grief, and the Digimon unleashed their fury.

"Celestial Arrow!"

"Excalibur!"

"Spike Buster!"

"Dragon Fire Spin!"

The attacks hit home with such intensity that it sent their targets flying across to the opposite side of the plateau. Suddenly, the defenders of Darkness were the ones with their backs against the walls. When they stood, all of their enemies, human adults and children, Rookies and Champions and Ultimates alike had formed a line meant to push _them_ off the edge of a cliff.

"Now look what you've done, DarkAngelicmon!" BlackWidowmon screeched. "This is an absolute mess, and it's all your fault!"

The Digidestined now all turned to glare at DarkAngelicmon, tear-stained faces and swollen eyes bearing into his form. He felt an acute stab of pain in his chest - an unfamiliar sensation he pegged as guilt. His fingers tingled, as if going numb, and his eyes kept shifting in and out of focus. He couldn't explain why he was reacting in such a way, for mere moments ago he had been quite sure of his actions.

"DarkAngelicmon... why did you do it?" Ryoko asked in a voice barely above a whisper. He was content to stare at his shoes the entire time he spoke. "You never fully belonged to the darkness, and you know it. So... why?" DarkAngelicmon pursed his lips tightly, and it was obvious he wasn't going to answer. TK's face boiled with rage.

"He was my _son_! My own flesh and blood, and you took him away from me! From _us_!" he roared. Kari was still weeping into his chest, unable to say anything at the moment. "You may have lost your friend, DarkAngelicmon, but Luciamon will be reconfigured and reborn at Primary Village. My son doesn't have that luxury!"

Spritemon snorted. "That traitor got what was coming to her."

"Shut it, you shriveled old hag!" Takara snapped. A small whimper was heard, and all eyes fell on Mickey. His head was hung, and his body shook violently from sobs. Tears cascaded down the poor boy's face and hit the rock, leaving clear marks of where they fell. It was common knowledge that Mickey believed DarkAngelicmon was not completely lost to the darkness, and that if they tried hard enough, by some miracle they could pull him out of the shadows' clutches. However, when Mickey looked up at the fallen angel, that belief had been shattered and it showed on his face. Mickey's innocence was lost. In its place, a broken child who had lost his other half stood before him.

"You didn't answer Ryoko's question," he stated acidly. His tone surprised almost everyone, but most of all, it surprised DarkAngelicmon, who was stunned into silence. "Answer his question!"

DarkAngelicmon's eyes widened, and then in spite of himself, he laughed. "His days were numbered, Makiya. Ever since you first learned that you all were Digidestined, Fate has been counting down the seconds to this very hour. Isn't it ironic that your brother and Angelicmon managed to save you from falling to your death, but you were unable to return the favor?"

Mickey suddenly made to strike out and sock the Digimon, but Dai and Sam grabbed him by either arm and held him back. "Mickey, getting yourself killed isn't going to bring Matty back!" the young leader cried, holding on to the struggling twin. Mickey tried to loosen himself from his friends' grips, but when he realized he wasn't going anywhere, he just sank to his knees and sobbed. He buried his face into his hands and trembled with the loss of his best friend. And his friends wept with him.

DarkAngelicmon cast a sideways glance to his right, where Vampiramon looked like she was getting antsy. She caught his eye, and the look in them queried if they were going to attack, and with a tiny nod, she raised her arm above her head and began to cry out an attack, but Ken saw her first. He let out a massive shout, "You have already taken one too many lives today, and I'll be damned if I stand by and let you take another!" And JewelBeemon lept in for the kill shot.

Suddenly, the scene before DarkAngelicmon melted into darkness and a sharp pain ripped through his chest. It started dead center, and then spread like wildfire down to his extremities. His eyes bulged further than he could have ever thought physically possible, and his body tensed and his staff dropped out of his hand! He howled in excruciating pain, and then as quickly as it began, it passed, and he knew no more!

And from his position on the ground, mere centimeters from the edge of the plateau, Matty stared in shock as he saw the pointed end of Excalibur protruding from DarkAngelicmon's chest before he dissipated into data. With the power from the crests of Hope and Light emanating from the holy blade, MagnaAngemon had charged in before the fallen angel even had a chance to lift his foot from the ground.

* * *

**A/N:** Whooo-whee! How's that for a plot twist? I've posted the explanation of the weird style in the next chapter. Please take the time to read it, because it explains why it's so much darker than the normal Digimon series, or FTFOD. So I hope you enjoyed this, and please review!


	2. Author's Notes and Explanations

Okay, guys, here's the explanation of the weird style I used in this story.

I based the set-up off of a short story by Ambrose Bierce called "An Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge." Because Bierce was a realist and he lived through the Civil War, his stories had a cynical and often times dark writing style. His story "Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge" was the tale of a man living in the Confederate South who was to be hanged for interfering with Union affairs. The first section of his story describes the incident of the hanging, the second section describes the events that led up to the hanging (a flashback, if you will), and the third section is the man's delusion of escape that happens in the seconds between the board falling and his death. I used the same basic skeleton in this oneshot.

Now, one thing that Bierce did that I didn't was his over-exaggerated foreshadowing. In "Occurence," it's made quite obvious that Farquhar, the man being hanged, is already dead in the third section, and quite frankly I was disappointed. So instead of writing it out blatantly that DarkAngelicmon was dead before he pushed Matty over the edge, I put in subtle hints, like "He felt an acute stab of pain in his chest - an unfamiliar sensation he pegged as guilt." I like trying to keep people on the edge of their seats guessing up until the end, and so I hope I achieved this effect.

The title that I chose, "Discretion is the Better Part of Valor," is an idiom that I thought went well with the story. On one hand, Matty should have been more cautious before running out to aid Angelicmon. On the other, the saying "Pride comes before the fall" would have fit as well, because DarkAngelicmon was cocky by taking his sweet time trying to steal the Spirit Chip. It was a toss up between the two titles. However, I changed the summary for the story and as I was reading it, a lightbulb flashed on in my head, and I was like, DUH! So that's how it came to be named "Full Circle".

A really difficult aspect was the switches in POV between the sections. In "Occurence," Bierce uses 3rd person omniscient, 3rd person objective, and 3rd person limited, respectively. Because I'm not used to writing in the first two points of view, I had difficulty keeping the flow going. However, writing the first section was probably the most fun to write just because of how difficult it was for me to write it.

Before I wrap it up here, I want to apologize, especially to Broken Angel01, if the characters seem OOC. DarkAngelicmon was especially hard to keep in character because he is so complex that it's hard to get into his thoughts. That's one of the reasons why I admire Broken Angel01's work. With that in mind, thank you all for reading and don't forget to review! :D


End file.
